John Docherty

John Docherty was born on the 20th of May 1935 in Carfin to Irish parents John and Margaret Docherty (nee Brady). Brought up in a loving household enriched with family (John was one of 10 siblings), faith and laughter, Mr. and Mrs. Docherty would not just have significant impact on their family, but the many that would be blessed to cross their path on their travels.

Mr. Docherty, born in Donegal, was a Veteran that served in the First World War and was one of the Irish Coalminers that Monsignor Thomas Taylor called upon to start work on the Carfin Shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes, somewhere that his son John would be found most days of his life. 

Mrs. Docherty, born in Coalisland, was a pilar of their community in many ways. Helping the local Doctor deliver newborns over the years and becoming a Godmother to many, the Docherty household was always welcoming and open to all who travelled to the Grotto that may have fell on hard times and needed a place to stay and despite having a house-full, it was never any bother and both Mr. and Mrs. Docherty always offered to help those in need until they got back on their feet.

It wasn’t long into John’s formative years where he would be exposed to the instrument that would accompany him throughout his six-decade career, following his Parents purchasing his older brother Frank a Piano, which in turn provided entertainment to Mr. and Mrs. Docherty and it wasn’t through the instrument being played! The Piano lid would be securely locked and the key hidden whenever Frank was finished on it, specifically to keep away from his younger brother, and certainly wouldn’t have been impressed had he known that the younger Docherty found where the key was hidden and played endlessly whenever Frank was out of the house!

Along with trying to get on his brother’s piano, John also showed a keen interest in singing from an early age, singing to the neighbours as a child and encouraged even more so at house gatherings with friends and family for good times and sing songs, so his ability to carry a tune was made aware to the family from an early age.

With music being a staple in the Docherty household, John, much like many of his generation, grew up listening to the music of Frank Sinatra, eventually making use of a lot of Sinatra’s songs as staples of his own throughout his career. With Carfin having a thriving community of those of Irish Catholic descent, of which included the Docherty’s, John had a love and appreciation of the voice and songs of Irish Tenor John McCormack and like Sinatra, would put his own spin on many of the songs that made McCormack a household name in the early 20th Century.

It would be at St. Patrick's Secondary School in New Stevenston where John would meet a friend that would play a significant part in his life, both personally and professionally, the renowned John Healy. Following Healy’s untimely passing, there were a few Benefit nights held in his memory, one of which was at Cambusnethan’s New Day, where Doc would touch upon their School days together with a bit of humour: 

Following the introduction of National Service in 1947 to overcome the many challenges that followed the Second World War, it became a compulsory enrolment for men of Military age to help resolve issues with manpower shortages in the armed forces, with John falling under that bracket upon leaving School, where he would join the Cameronians, based out of the Winston Barracks, Lanark. It would be John that would bring the entertainment to his Comrades, constantly being asked to sing to them which he’d happily oblige – John Melrose made note that one of the favourites that John would do was The Book, a popular song of the time by David Whitfield in 1954. 

John would be juggling playing in bands for extra cash and employment in a toy factory in New Stevenston, where his mother Margaret and sister Annie would also work. Circumstances would change and the stars would align for John and his old School pal John Healy, with the duo deciding to join forces and make a go of things as musicians, Doc being the Piano player in a period where his singing would scarcely be heard due to being shy about his voice, with Healy being main attraction with his singing and showmanship – leaving Healy slightly unimpressed with how they were billed in the venues they played!

With the duo ever present on the circuit, continuing to build both a reputation and following, they would find themselves becoming the resident act in Blantyre's newly opened Hasties Farm. In 1967, businessman Bob Brown, who owned the buildings on Hasties Farm – which prior to 1963, was a working farm – decided to convert the old farmhouse building into a Bar and Restaurant which would become a staple for many in the Blantyre area along with attracting visitors from further afield – in part due to the high caliber of entertainment that would be showcased, through word of mouth of John Healy’s theatrical performances accompanied by John Doc’s backing on the piano, also allowing the group to back an array of amateur singers that would follow them around on the circuit, adding yet another unique draw to attract an audience - which they did with relative ease – you had to get yourself along early to guarantee a seat!

As the years rolled by, John would become more confident singing in front of their audiences and eventually, the duo would go their separate ways but the two of them would always remain in one another’s lives, with sporadic reunions taking place over the years that would always go down well. Healy would still be a presence on the circuit, still performing regularly and would feature on a Documentary filmed at Hasties Farm by the BBC that had a snippet of him performing. There were rumblings of Healy making an album at one point in the 70’s, but sadly nothing seemed to have come of it and at the time of writing, no audio exists capturing the talent of Healy and yet more than 35 years on from his passing, his theatrical performances and great singing voice are still fondly remembered by the many that he made a lasting impression on. Video has since surfaced of John Healy performing at a fundraiser for him and his family, filmed at Carfin Hibs Club back in February 1989.

In 1972, Gerry Gallen, an impresario who had a lot of business interest down south and dealt with some big names in the entertainment industry, opened up a new nightspot in Motherwell called the Carousel, operating in the day time as a Restaurant before offering a variety of entertainment in the evenings. One of the first ports of call for Gerry was to entice John away from his Hasties residency and upon doing so, it proved to be the beginning of a very successful business venture for the both of them. Gerry would later comment:

The Carousel would last from 1972 all the way through to 1980, with Doc being there from the beginning until the very end, the in-between having a lot of significant landmarks in his long career, namely making his first professional recordings for release under Jim McLean’s Nevis record label, capitalizing on the demand for his live performances with putting his voice on Vinyl for the very first time which was quoted in articles of the time as creating quite a stir following it’s release, not long after it was recorded on the 22nd of October 1976. 

A journalist that covered the release of At The Carousel took a trip to the venue to watch John in action and mentioned that “it was jam packed with an enthusiastic audience. What an atmosphere in this place, appreciative without being rowdy…”, echoing the impact that the venue had further afield, with many of those making the journey bringing a bit of the Carousel back home with them to their local haunts, with the wave that would frequently occur throughout the evenings among the crowd, reaching the likes of Bannockburn Miners Welfare and many more!

Momentum would continue to keep John at the forefront of Scotland’s club scene, being very active outwith his residency at the Carousel, at times playing 2 sets on the same day in different Towns and Cities and as a result, would sometimes result in double bookings – though would always right that wrong in whatever way he could. 

David Shanks, Husband of Landlady Barbara Shanks (though more commonly known locally as Babs France), was introduced to the Doc through his brother-in-law Bobby Reynolds and booked John to play in the Falcon in St. Ninians, making sure it was well advertised, resulting in a packed house that was to be disappointed on the night due to John being double booked. This was to come as quite a blow to David and he had voiced his disappointment to the Family, though it was to be the next night where John would appear unannounced, bringing with him his band and entourage to set up shop and play throughout the evening free of charge to make up for the previous night. John unknowingly found himself back in the good books, not that the no-show would have done anything to remove him from the pedestal that his auld amigo Bobby had him on!

Opportunities would arise that could have taken John to greater heights, including an offer to appear on Opportunity Knocks, the popular 70’s Television Show that highlighted the talents of local acts across the UK, bringing them to a wider audience (a weekly audience of more than 20 million at it's peak), though unimpressed dealing with Hughie Green and his insistence that he was the one who would tell the acts what to sing, John refused. 

A businessman with connections to the entertainment industry in America had organized a tour over there for John and his band of the time, who were all keen on making the jaunt across the pond, though ever the family man, John didn’t want to entertain the idea or be away from his family for that length of time. It wasn’t to be John’s only opportunity to reach America, with sometime in the late 60’s or early 70’s, Danny Docherty of the Evening Times, a close friend and business partner of Hasties Farm owner Bob Brown, lined up a Cruise ship gig for Doc and his band, performing to those making the trip across the Atlantic on what would have been Luxury Cruise Liners of the time. Clem Dane, who performed numerous times at Hasties over the years, remembered this venture:

“Danny had gotten the Cruise job for John; he wasn’t with Healy at the time. They all went to Southampton by train, as far as I know, got onto the ship where John had a look around, seeing the luxury inside, lifted his suitcase, back down the gangplank to get back on the train and come back home to Scotland.”

It echoes what John said himself and likewise with Gerry Gallen, who made note of other opportunities that presented themselves and how it impacted their dealings at the Carousel:

“It sometimes happens that he gets offers that he can't refuse and, on these occasions, I give him leave of absence. But the strange thing is John himself doesn't like to be away too long. Some time back he did a stint down south, they asked him to extend it, but he politely refused and he told me when he returned,

'I enjoyed that wee trip but that was enough for me.'"

Gerry too would make use of his contacts in the entertainment industry and had it agreed for John and his Trio, made up by Margaret Hendrie on bass and John Carroll on drums, to appear on a new Folk program that would be showcased on weeknights, organised by Dominic Behan. John would attend a couple of rehearsals, but would eventually pull out, deciding that the Folk scene wasn’t for him and while Gerry would try and convince him to participate due to the exposure, John would remain stubborn, though both Margaret and John Carroll would stay put and were featured on television every week. 

By the time 1979 come around, with a lot of disruption surrounding the premises through redevelopment and other work, Hasties owner Bob Brown decided it would be time for him to take retirement. With Hasties being a haven for many in the area and beyond, along with having a reputation for a high calibre of entertainment on offer, it was sold on the 1st of July that year to businessmen Sam Plotnikoff and Graham Gordon – with one of their first calls of action, as quoted in the rags at the time,

“One of the first moves the new owners made was to approach John Doc, the well-known Lanarkshire musician, and lure him and his trio back to Hasties, a move that is proving very popular.”

John and his Trio of the time became the resident band once again, appearing regularly 5 nights a week from Wednesday through to Sunday in the relaxed dine and dance atmosphere of Hasties where crowds, from couples to coachloads, flocked to hear his excellent voice and his accomplished piano playing, allowing him and his band to back amateur singers that take to the helm in the most professional way possible. 

Later that same year and capitalizing on the buzz surrounding the new ownership of Hasties and the return of The Doc, Sam and Graham, who also had contacts within the entertainment industry – so much so that it wasn’t unusual to see many big names in the venue, not always to perform but to rather enjoy what was on offer, including the likes of Marty Wilde, Matt Munro, Frank Ifield, Brian Taylor, Aker Bilk, Andy Cameron among many, many more! – decided to dive into the music business by creating a record label in the Farm’s name, with John’s first E.P. titled At Hasties Farm being the inaugural release, though it would end up being the sole release on the label, as for whatever reason, the owners didn’t proceed with any more.

The Carousel would shut up shop in 1980, with the Directors Partnership, which included Gerry and John, along with a local Lawyer and the AA Brothers, who owned the shop underneath, dissolving as a result, with Gerry looking to buy a pub afterwards. The 8 years would have significant impact on both John and Gerry, with both of them responsible for giving many memories, that over 40 years on, are still prominent in their memory and being shared onto younger generations. Robert McAllan, who was a long-time friend of John’s and was there the evening the Carousel closed, mentioned back in December 2021 the significance the song Norah Magee had throughout John’s career and added:

"Many, many times did I hear The Doc sing this and if ma' memory is right, he sang it on the opening night of the Carousel and it was his final song on the night the Carousel closed. The emotion of the occasion overtook John as he was unable to finish the last verse. That memory has never left me and if you happen to read this Doc, there wis nane could touch ye, and in Bobby Reynolds' ain words, ye wis The Messiah!"

A lot of big names would pass through the Carousel over it’s time, either to see or be seen. Donny McInnes and Gus Cameron would be staples doing the MC for the performers over the years, though a colourful character by the name of Frank ‘Jinxy’ Regan would take on the job now and again, and while not a bad chanter in his own right, it was his patter and mischief that would endear him to many, with John always up for helping in any way he could! One notable gag was Jinxy convincing the bar staff in the Carousel that he could play Violin, so it was brought along the next time he was in to showcase his talent – unbeknown to the punters…it had no strings! There was a cassette rigged up through John’s PA and he was working it to Jinxy’s action which brought the house down and won Jinxy a lot of drinks! 

Celtic Football Club had a special place in John’s heart, inevitably so given his background and with his years playing across Scotland, especially in Glasgow, it would have him in the same circles of many of the playing and coaching staff of the Glasgow club, becoming friends with many of them as a result of John being a staple of their social lives where they’d travel all over to see The Doc and his Trio play. Jock Stein in particular held John among the best singers that Scotland had produced and the two would have a great friendship over the decades, so much so that when Publican Tommy McGuinness wanted to celebrate Stein’s trophy laden career in late 1982, there was only one man that come to mind to perform the music throughout the evening at Wishaw’s Little Caesars, with Doc and his band in fine form, backing an array of singers throughout the night.

When John was playing regularly at Cowie Bowling Club in the 70’s, he developed a great friendship with the Club President John McCabe, so much so that when Doc was tied to his residency at Hasties and had to stop playing in Cowie due to conflicting schedules, John McCabe would still regularly go through to see John perform in Blantyre. The early 80’s would see Doc return to Cowie and in 1983, he would release his last E.P., at the request of the Club’s Patrons, titled At Cowie Bowling Club that featured four staples of John’s set, 3 of them being Irish numbers that were regularly requested, as much like Doc, many in Cowie were off of Irish lineage too.

John would be a fixture in Cowie from his return all the way through to the 2000’s, being held in the highest regard by all in the area as a top entertainer. Club Politics behind the scenes would see John McCabe depart after over 30 years of service to the Club and as a result, out of solidarity to his friend, Doc would tell the new Patrons that his time playing in the Club was over and never played in the venue again. While it would make it harder for the friends that John had made in the Village over the decades to see him perform, there were many that made the effort to travel to the likes of Carfin, Cleland and beyond to see their auld pal do what he done best.

There were many colourful characters that all played a part in John’s career, including the likes of ‘The Carfin Cowboy’ Jimmy Collins and Jimmy Dolan, both possessing great voices in their own right and would travel with John across Scotland from the 60’s onward to enjoy the music on offer as well as going up for a few numbers themselves. Ian Watt, a friend of John’s who ended up becoming the last President of Cleland Miners – which was also used by John and the band to rehearse their repertoire -, has spoken previously about the impact John had on many in Cleland and beyond, recounting a lot of great memories from the crowds that would travel to see John and his band play over the decades. Ian would digitize a lot of John’s music for his late sister Phyllis, who always cherished hearing her brother’s wonderful voice. He would also share this hilarious encounter:

“I was playing Sixteen Candles when I was out in the car one time and who walked across the street but the man himself. He had a laugh at hearing it and mentioned that he hadn’t played it in years, but over the coming weeks, he started playing it again at some of his performances.”

Jimmy and Irene Nicol, the owners of the Coronation Inn, were great friends with John and his family, with the pub being a regular pit stop for John after he had finished his evenings performances and with being neighbours in Newarthill, it wasn’t uncommon for the good times to go back to the Nicol household after closing time. Mr. and Mrs. Nicol’s family would also comment on these evenings:

“Our Mum and Dad were great friends with John Doc, as were all the family, for many years. The pub would be frequently visited by John whenever he finished his evening playing, with John usually holding court on the Piano that was in the lounge, though there was as many great nights back in the Family home where John would also make use of the Piano in there also! We have a lot of fond memories of John and his family over the decades. Gone but not forgotten.”

John Docherty’s memory and legacy will continue to live on through his Family and the music and memories he gave to many over a career spanning six decades will forever remain in their hearts, with the stories that followed the man and his music being passed down from generation to generation. 

A special thanks to all who have helped pull all of this together, including:

The Docherty Family

The Healy Family

The Nicol Family

Robert and Margaret

Sean Gallen

Jim McLean

Ian Watt

John Thompson

Evelyn McCabe

Ann McGuire

Cathy and Shona Reynolds

The music and content that has been made available over the last few years is dedicated to the memory of all that have since departed that enjoyed the good times had in all the venues that John Docherty played over the decades.